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Artist Paul Harfleet’s interest lies in the implications of citizenship and its influence on navigation and memory of the urban environment. He augments and re-contextualises various sites and objects by allocating them with new meaning or significance often through drawing, photography and intervention.

Hell Arrow

I photographed this graffitied arrow near to where I live, as every time I passed it I wondered what it was pointing to. One particular day I supposed that it was pointing to Hell; alarmed by this notion I wrote a letter ( below) to Manchester City Council warning them that someone may come to harm if they were to enter this potential gateway. I suggested that they may want to put a relevant sign near by. They never responded.

This was shown at Floating ip for the 'Do Something' show in 2004.

26/07/04

To the Health and Safety Executive:

Enclosed is a photograph of a location.

I have spotted this location. A white spray painted arrow pointing to a dubious pipe. It’s located on the side of a building on Grosvenor Street in central Manchester. The building contains a scrap metal merchant and some kind of clothing manufactures. I think this arrow points to Hell. To Hell. I am not sure how you get into the access pipe. But I am now absolutely certain that if you could access the pipe that it would lead the passenger directly To Hell. It is sufficiently alarming to me to know that access to hell, is so feasible and open to possible misuse.

I wonder in light of this information whether it would be possible to inform the public with some sort of danger or warning sign near to this location. I have enclosed a photograph just to make it absolutely clear the whereabouts of this access. It troubles me greatly that access to Hell may go unnoticed and may account for some of the missing persons we hear so much about. I do hope this is of some help to you and look forward to hearing from you in the future.